He may not wear a cape or spandex tights (although he has
been known to playfully sport a blond wig on occasion),
but the legendary DJ and prolific producer, Junior Vasquez,
does possess many extraordinary powers. From his very own
Fortress of Solitude high above the dance floor, Junior
rules a universe in New York City that many have come to
know as Twilo. During marathon spinning sessions that begin
late Saturday night and end Sunday afternoon (sometimes
later), Junior deftly mixes a compelling melange of records
from a multitude of genres that includes tribal, diva, gospel
and progressive house, old-school favorites, rock and roll
classics, Motown gems, and even a ballad or two, all the
while expertly guiding listeners on a magical and spiritual
dance-infused journey.
Despite a notorious reputation
for being callous and aloof, not to mention the fame and
idol worship that surround him, Junior was quite personable,
unexpectedly candid, and decidedly earnest during our conversation.
Readers may be surprised to learn that the renowned mix
master is a self-described couch potato who, although unquestionably
dedicated to his art, does not eat, sleep and drink music.
The shy and introverted DJ and producer is optimistic about
eventually meeting a special person with whom he will share
his life, but in the meantime, Junior entertains himself
outside of the nightclub and studio watching The Golden
Girls, drawing flowers, stringing beads, and working in
the garden on his penthouses terrace.
One Part Diva; Two Parts
Talent
"I always try to tell a story. Not always consciously,
but I do," Junior says of his live sets. "The
context of the vocals is very important to me." Whether
he is aware of it or not at the time, Junior is particularly
adept at setting trends while introducing new styles of
music primarily because he is constantly challenging himself.
"If I get bored, then I know my crowd is getting bored,"
he states. "I get bored with music, so I need to jumpstart
myself, just like I jumpstart my crowd." This results
in a never-ending search for fresh and invigorating tunes
to throw out at the party faithful each week. Sometimes,
though, in an effort to truly surprise and stimulate his
loyal followers, Junior will dig deep down into his treasured
archives to find a ripe oldie worthy of his unique remix
treatment.
It is difficult to imagine
when Junior finds the time to rework older songs considering
the nonstop barrage of new projects record labels are constantly
hiring him to do for artists like Mariah Carey, Mary J.
Blige, Kristine W, and Whitney Houston. Junior says he relies
heavily on his Saturday night audience to test drive new
productions. "If [the record labels] choose me to do
a remix," he says, "I try it out at the club before
I even submit it and try to get a reaction. I usually create
everything live at Twilo. Ive had a 100% non-fatality
rate with my mixes because they always work on the dance
floor. If something doesnt work, I dont hand
it in." Although his resume is quite impressive in
the diva category, Junior has also lent his immense talents
to such varied artists as John Cougar Mellencamp, Duran
Duran, and Elton John. He is still patiently waiting for
phone calls from Chaka Kahn, Luther Vandross, and Diana
Ross, and is currently considering a proposal from Britney
Spears camp. Even more interesting are the unconfirmed
rumors circulating about Juniors potential work on
a new Michael Jackson record as well as one of Madonnas
future singles.
Call Me In Miami
Like Shep Pettibone and William Orbit, Madonna put Junior
Vasquez on the mainstream musical map back in the mid-90s
when she commissioned him to remix several songs off her
Bedtime Stories album. This dynamic relationship enhanced
both of their careers, but unfortunately fell apart shortly
after the release of Juniors underground club staple,
"If Madonna Calls." But things werent as
bad as the public was led to believe. "I think everyone
has misconstrued everything thats gone on with her,"
Junior says of his relationship with Madonna. "I dont
think shed throw a brick at me if she saw me. I mean,
Ive moved on; everybodys moved on. I love her
to death. I want to hate her, but I dont." Strictly
Rhythm, the record label that released the controversial,
albeit extremely popular, song, initially asked for Madonnas
participation. After she declined, the label recruited a
similar sounding woman to record the infamous answering
machine message and then commissioned Junior to develop
the song. "What people dont realize is that it
had nothing to do with me," Junior insists. "It
was the labels project. I just happened to do the
song." Despite the mixed results of the project, Junior
continues to interpret and redesign Madonnas music
live in the clubs like no other DJ in the world. From special
versions of her latest hits to revamped edits of her earlier
work, Junior continues his extraordinary reign as the supreme
Madonna remixer.
As we are all painfully
aware, the major record labels have not yet fully embraced
dance music in America. Because of this, most club music
is created and distributed by independent record labels.
After a messy divorce from his former management and the
independent Pagoda record label, Junior recently launched
a brand new effort simply called Junior Vasquez Music. He
will use this new label as a vehicle to more freely express
his boundless creativity while working with his trusted
team of studio engineers to release 12" vinyl discs
and promote artists like World of Shoes and Vernessa Mitchell.
A full-length album from Mitchell is forthcoming which will
eventually be distributed by a major record label.
A Snowballs Chance
in Hell
Junior has enjoyed a stellar year with successful remix
projects and highly acclaimed live performances. But as
many readers will recall, it looked as though he might have
hit rock bottom a couple of years ago during his performance
at Jeffrey Sankers Snowball during White Party Week.
Since he doesnt live the circuit party lifestyle or
attend the parties himself, Junior says he finds it particularly
challenging to play these types of events. He also freely
acknowledges that things didnt go very well at Snowball,
but refuses to place blame on any one person, including
himself. "I dont think it was anybodys
fault," he says. "But you dont put the DJ
back where the bartenders are. I couldnt even see
the dance floor which is obviously very important. I can
tell you right now [that under more favorable conditions]
it would have been a thousand times better, and the sound
problem would have been fixed immediately. In fact, it probably
wouldnt even have happened. [People] have to understand
that that was out of my control. To blame me is wrong."
Explaining his prior reluctance
to take his show on the road, Junior explained during an
interview in Mixology magazine (July 1999) that what he
does live really cant be carried around in three boxes.
The electronic arsenal and massive collection of music that
have become integral to his incomparable live performances
simply cannot be easily transported from one venue to another.
"Its not that Im any better on my home
turf," Junior explains. "Its just very stressful
to do it outside of that." Junior will, however, be
touring in support of his new CDs, including a Black &
Blue recovery party in Montreal and a possible return to
Miami on Thanksgiving weekend. Several additional dates
will likely be added as details are finalized.
Drama? What Drama?
One could argue that it is Juniors dramatic nature
that has propelled and maintained his popularity throughout
the years, and Junior would likely agree. "I think
its sort of my nature to be dramatic and show-bizzy
in a way, at least when Im in the booth," he
suggests. "I think they kind of expect that of me.
It gives them something to talk about." Its no
secret that Junior used to have people he didnt like
removed from his parties, but things have changed; Junior
has matured in the past several years and now finds himself
in a very comfortable emotional place. "I was going
through a very tough period at that point at the Sound Factory,"
Junior recalls. "I was a little angry. But I dont
exercise [having people removed from the club] anymore."
But dont worry, the invincible DJ many people love
to hate has definitely not lost his touch or flair for musical
drama, and with a newfound ability to more effectively focus
the inevitable club drama, Junior promises to keep delivering
his widely celebrated brand of club chaos and scintillating
sound for many years to come.
Is it Real or is it
Memorex?
In the past, one would have to actually enter Twilo on a
Saturday night/Sunday morning to experience the euphoric
excursions and transcendental tours that only Junior can
guide. But thanks to Twilo Volume 1: Junior Vasquez, a live
double CD set released in late September on Virgin Records
America, Junior devotees and other dance music enthusiasts
can now experience the marathon mans sonic sorcery
from the comfort of their own homes. Of course, it will
be slightly different most people dont have
Twilos phenomenal sound or lighting systems installed
in their homes, and the eccentric people and their bizarre
adventures so common at the "theme park for the chronically
under-stimulated" will also likely be absent
but it is as close as one can get to the real thing.
"Every Saturday night
I record onto DAT," Junior explains. "So we picked
the songs and got them okayed, and then we took sections
from Saturday nights and mixed them on the actual CDs. So
its really live with all the effects through there
-- the sound effects and the banging and clanging of the
pots and pans I do up [in the booth]. This is live with
the crowd there, so its more representational of what
I do, what Im about." Unlike many compilation
CDs which often experience delayed releases due to licensing
obstacles, the majority of the songs on Twilo Vol. 1 are
brand new, and most of them have either been produced or
remixed by Junior himself. "It was important to [capture
on CD] what I do live," he goes on to say. "Its
important to get stuff out there for the masses so that
they can enjoy it outside of Twilo."
The turbo-charged live
compilation flawlessly replicates the progression of music
Junior plays from early to late Sunday mornings at Twilo.
Disc one concentrates more on the tribal bass-heavy vibe
of Juniors early morning sets with hard hitting instrumentals
like "Indo" by Pre Ymo and "Swallow It Down"
by And-E & Mac Lane, while a touch of melodramatic and
ethereal vocals work to delicately balance and broaden the
reach of this endeavor. The second disc beautifully showcases
the big diva vocals, like Charlottes "Dont
Be Afraid of the Dark" and Vernessa Mitchells
"Higher," which are generally played in the late
morning or early afternoon. Twilo regulars may not be too
surprised by any of the selections, but everyone will be
suitably impressed by Juniors progressive layering
and seamless mixing of his signature tribal rhythms and
influential melodic anthems. The overall vibe is thoroughly
uplifting and will no doubt satisfy even the most discerning
dance music enthusiast.
Trendsetter
Juniors primary mission and ultimate goal is to share
his extraordinary music with as many people as possible.
Although he is thankful for the opportunities he has had
to remix and produce some of the biggest stars in the industry,
he is more interested in discovering and promoting new talent
through Junior Vasquez Music. "I get burned out if
the wave of music is stagnate," he claims. "Then
I have to figure out a way to change it. I have to be innovative
and challenge myself at the same time Im challenging
the crowd." Junior is not sure where the future will
take him, but for now he plans to "just keep doing
what Im doing, but at the same time, do a little more
producing. This is the reason I started my label, so I can
sign artists and do albums. I want to be able to cultivate
my own groups and get stuff on radio." Accordingly,
Junior plans to heavily market and promote his labels
first release, "I Am Strong" by World of Shoes
(included on Twilo Vol. 1), and hopes the song, as well
as subsequent releases, will cross over and make a strong
impact on radio. Old-school fans will also be pleased to
hear that Junior is recruiting other remix artists like
Razor N Guido to revitalize some of his older songs
like "What Hope Have I" and "Thieves to the
Temples."
One of the most intriguing
and remarkable aspects of Junior Vasquez, and certainly
one of the main reasons he has remained at the top of his
game, is that he continues to lead rather than follow. Many
thought that his days were numbered just a couple years
ago, but in true survivor style, the Man of Steel behind
the Wheels of Steel has persevered and proven detractors
wrong. "In New York and the rest of the U.S., numerous
DJs look to Junior for guidance on what to look out for
musically," says Michael Paoletta, Dance Music Editor
for Billboard. "Hes been at the forefront of
many dance music styles, and one of the reasons hes
become so revered is that he refuses to follow the lead
of others. He prefers to play by his own rules, often eschewing
the hot and hyped sounds for records he truly
believes in. By doing this, hes created his own sound
that many others try to emulate."
So whether you love him,
hate him, or simply couldnt care less where the music
you love originates, Junior Vasquez will undoubtedly continue
to strongly influence dance music through his ground-breaking
production work, while at the same time arousing hordes
of party revelers around the world with revolutionary and
awe-inspiring live performances. "Ive had a great
year," Junior proudly acknowledges, "and Im
not planning on slowing down anytime soon." The people
of Earth couldnt be happier to hear it.